Day 13 - Autostrada

Friday 19 July 2019

We leave the charmless camp site in Val-de-Pres early and climb up to the Italian border at Montgenèvre. We need to crack on across northern Italy today so take the unusual option (for us) of motorway travel.
We need to bypass Turin and Milan and the mountain routes to the north would take a couple of days. So we buckle up and hit the autostrada at Oulx and fly east.

The 256km on the toll roads costs a grand total of almost €35. Fast travel in Italy does not come cheap. Bikes pay the same as cars. We have to stop for five separate payment booths, engine off,  gloves off, fiddle in our pockets for loose change or credit card then reverse process and pull forward so Mick can go through the same rigmarole.

Two of the charges are for only €1.50. The constant toll charges probably added half an hour to the journey time. And it is sweltering down here away from the mountains.

Finally we pull off the autostrada at Bergamo and meander up to Lago di Endine and Camping Tartufaia. I’ve stayed here before, the last time three years ago, and am rather surprised when the lady owner remembers me. 
It is a lovely camp site, set out in terraces that climb up the steep hill above the lake.  Neat buildings and block-paved paths, excellent facilities.

Our spot at Camping Tartufaia

This site seems particularly favoured by holidaymakers from the Netherlands, mostly in camper vans, very friendly as always.

Block paving and Dutch campervans

The view over Lago di Endine
We spend a pleasant evening contemplating the views over the lake. I fancy a swim there as I did on my last visit. But in the end duty wins and I get a bunch of washing done.
The camp cafe serves up excellent pizza. and so we settle down for a peaceful sleep in this beautiful part of Italy. It has been a long sweaty day riding on the autostrada but we have swept past Milan and Turin so I guess it was worth it.

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